The People of the Saber-Toothed Tiger (Saboraistan) (Needs a good name)
The People of the Saber-Toothed Tiger call themselves by no other name. Not truly a nation so much as a singular culture, these people control perhaps the largest swath of land in Soi to never be subjugated by an Immortal or to be modernized in any sense of the word. Their lands wrap around the large, shallow inland sea to the west of Kushan and spread south to overlap with areas of the Stargazer Plateau. Xenophobic and spiritualistic, the People evaded early occupation by Immortals by denouncing them as demons. After multiple burials in permafrost bogs, attempted burning at altars, being netted and thrown into the sea, as well as any other attempt the People made to vanquish what they call "the demon spawn of Father Winter"; even the most stubborn Immortals relented and looked for greener pastures. This contented the People who remained in their home territory and continued to worship the Saber-Toothed Tigers and live as they had since time out of mind. The People form a dualistic society which only unites during the harshest period of winter in the south. The stationary People live in large sod-and-bone construction longhouses along the sea where they farm the crops referred to in the north as potatoes and corn, in addition to other vegetables in smaller quantity. They likewise farm the sea, pulling in and preserving fish as well as seaweed. The nomadic People travel in immense mounted bans, following and protecting the vast herds of bison, aurochs, reindeer, and horses which they rely upon. The People divide themselves with the aged, the young, mothers, and those responsible for tending both groups staying in the longhouses year-long in relative safety with relatively few hunter-warriors guarding them. The strong of body without children remain in the nomadic bands of riders, acting as herdsmen, hunter, and guardians of the land. Unable to forge metal weapons, the People have slowly evolved their glass-making skills to the most remarkable levels found on Soi. The dense glass they produce makes extremely serviceable implements which fill their needs from bowls to arrow-heads. Despite this, possession of steel weapons is considered a mark of wealth and prowess with many such weapons becoming family heirlooms. The People allow peddlers and merchants to approach the north-bank of their lake in an area referred to as "The Sunning Rocks", a barren stretch of rock-desert where nothing grows even near the water. There they trade their carved beads, glass-made goods, antlers, and other primal wares with outsiders. The outsiders who travel into the land of the People of the Saber-Tooth Tiger do so at their own peril and only in the late winter when the nomadic portion of the People are present at the lake. Doing so at any other time of year invites attack from the mass hordes of mounted hunters. There is one supreme law however that no one be they outsider or of the People violates. That is the holy stricture against the harming of the Saber-Tooth Tiger. Anyone who harms one of the mighty cats finds themselves and every blood relative within one step of them bathed in the blood of a horse and forced to walk out into the plains as a sacrifice to appease the People's protective Saber-Tooth Tiger spirit-god. If they come back after a full day from sun up to sun down, they have been forgiven of their sins, if not, the tiger gods have taken their toll. Those that come back are often far more devout due to their thankfulness of being chosen to live by their gods. Category:Nations Category:Races